Featured Research

from universities, journals, and other organizations

Could protecting your skin from sun be as easy as popping a pill?

Date:

August 7, 2014

Source:

American Academy of Dermatology

Summary:

From lotions to sprays to sticks, consumers have a myriad of options to choose from when selecting a sunscreen. Now, several additional sun protection tools have become available, including sunscreen pills, drinkable sunscreen, and ultraviolet (UV) monitoring bracelets. "One in five Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetime, and sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer. While taking a pill sounds like a more convenient way to protect the skin, seeking shade, wearing protective clothing and applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen are still the most reliable methods of sun protection," one expert says.

Share This

From lotions to sprays to sticks, consumers already have a myriad of options to choose from when selecting a sunscreen. Now, several additional sun protection tools have become available, including sunscreen pills, drinkable sunscreen, and ultraviolet (UV) monitoring bracelets.

Related Articles

To help consumers make smart decisions when protecting their skin from the sun, board-certified dermatologist Henry W. Lim, MD, FAAD, C.S. Livingood Chair and chairman of the department of dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, answers questions about these emerging sun protection products.

Can sunscreen pills be used in place of topical sunscreens? "One in five Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetime, and sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer," said Dr. Lim. "While taking a pill sounds like a more convenient way to protect the skin, seeking shade, wearing protective clothing and applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 are still the most reliable methods of sun protection."

Of the ingredients found in sunscreen pills, Dr. Lim said the strongest research is linked to Polypodium leucotomos, an extract of a Central American fern plant. Studies have shown the fern extract increases the amount of time it takes for skin to burn when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. "We're not completely sure how sunscreen pills work, but the main understanding is that Polypodium leucotomos acts as an antioxidant, so it protects the skin from oxidative damage caused by sun exposure," said Dr. Lim.

In addition, Dr. Lim said European studies have shown Polypodium leucotomos can reduce sun sensitivity in people with polymorphous light eruption, a condition that causes an itchy rash when skin is exposed to the sun.

While pills with Polypodium leucotomos cannot be given a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating because the product is not applied to the skin, Dr. Lim said studies comparing the level of protection with that of a traditional sunscreen show the fern extract pill provides the equivalent to an SPF of 3 to 5. The level of protection is significantly less than the American Academy of Dermatology's (Academy) recommendation to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

Other antioxidants, such as green tea extracts and vitamins C and E, also have been shown to offer protective effect from sun damage. Studies have been done on green tea extracts applied to the skin, while vitamin C and E have been studied when taken orally.

Dr. Lim is cautious about a pill that combines multiple antioxidants. Dr. Lim noted that each individual extract may have data behind it, but as a pill, there is no research to support their effectiveness when combined. The amount of each extract would have to be at reduced levels in order to be ingested in combination, which would then make each of the ingredients less effective.

"If someone wants to take a sunscreen pill, they should continue protecting their skin by seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and applying sunscreen," said Dr. Lim. "While there have been promising results, more research needs to be done to know the optimal way of using these pills and their long-term safety."

Can drinkable sunscreen be used in place of topical sunscreens? With regard to "drinkable" sunscreen -- water that claims to be infused with electromagnetic waves as a way of protecting the skin -- Dr. Lim is very skeptical. "There is absolutely no scientific research published anywhere to support the use of drinkable sunscreen," said Dr. Lim. "It just does not make any scientific sense."

What role can a person's diet have on their level of sun protection? Dr. Lim said it's not known the effect a person's diet has on their sun protection. "While studies have looked at the sun protection effects of green tea extracts when applied to the skin, no study has been done to show whether there are any protective effects of drinking green tea," said Dr. Lim. "Green tea has a lot of good research behind it, but to translate it from theory into something that can be practiced is very difficult."

While vitamins C and E have also shown an ability to protect the skin from sun damage, Dr. Lim does not recommend these supplements to his patients as a sun protection method. "Only extremely high doses have been shown to provide some level of protection, but these doses are significantly higher than what is recommended in a vitamin supplement, and the safety of long term consumption of high doses of vitamin C and E is not known," said Dr. Lim.

Are UV-monitoring bracelets and apps helpful sun protection tools? New UV-monitoring bracelets have been developed to help people track their sun exposure and monitor the intensity of UV rays. "Personal UV-monitoring is an interesting development. It could help increase awareness of the need for sun protection by the general public," said Dr. Lim. However, Dr. Lim questions the reliability of the product. "Are UV levels constantly measured? How reliable is it if a person is in an area without cellular or Internet access? Is the product ready for prime time? It is promising, but I'm not sure we are at that stage yet."

Dr. Lim said personal UV monitors may be a nice tool to remind people to reapply sunscreen or seek shade. Still, when people are in the sun he recommends reapplying sunscreen every two hours and after swimming or sweating.

For additional ways to protect your skin from the sun and reduce your risk of skin cancer, visit the Academy's SpotSkinCancer.org. Visitors can learn how to perform a skin self-exam, download a body mole map for tracking changes in their skin, and find free SPOT meTM skin cancer screenings in their area. SPOT Skin Cancer™ is the Academy's campaign to create a world without skin cancer through public awareness, community outreach programs and services, and advocacy that promote the prevention, detection, and care of skin cancer.

American Academy of Dermatology. "Could protecting your skin from sun be as easy as popping a pill?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 August 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140807103640.htm>.

American Academy of Dermatology. (2014, August 7). Could protecting your skin from sun be as easy as popping a pill?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 3, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140807103640.htm

American Academy of Dermatology. "Could protecting your skin from sun be as easy as popping a pill?." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140807103640.htm (accessed March 3, 2015).

More From ScienceDaily

More Health & Medicine News

Featured Research

Mar. 2, 2015 — In the first study of its kind since the 1920s, rats in New York City were found to carry a flea species capable of transmitting plague pathogens. Among them: 500-plus Oriental rat fleas, notorious ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — A newly published study is the first to report an association between bisphenol-A (BPA), a common plasticizer used in a variety of consumer food and beverage containers, with autism spectrum disorder ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — What do a human colon, septic tank, copper nanoparticles and zebrafish have in common? They were the key components used by researchers to study the impact copper nanoparticles, which are found in ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — You might resemble or act more like your mother, but a novel research study reveals that mammals are genetically more like their dads. Specifically, the research shows that although we inherit equal ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — Scientists who have discovered the mechanism of a protein that suppresses inflammation in the body, say the information could potentially be used to develop new drugs to control inflammation. The ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — A deficiency in the protein responsible for moving glucose across the brain's protective blood-brain barrier appears to intensify the neurodegenerative effects of Alzheimer's disease, according to a ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — Researchers describe how postmortem brain slices can be 'read' to determine how a rat was trained to behave in response to specific sounds, a new article suggests. The work provides one of the first ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — Teenagers in North Carolina were easily able to buy electronic cigarettes online because both Internet vendors and shipping companies failed to verifying ages in a study that assessed compliance with ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — A survey of US high school students suggests that 1 in 5 female students and 1 in 10 male students who date have experienced some form of teen dating violence (TDV) during the past 12 months. "These ... full story

Mar. 2, 2015 — Cerebral blood flow recovery in the brain could be a biomarker of outcomes in patients following concussion, a new imaging study suggests. Most of the 3.8 million sports-related traumatic brain ... full story

Featured Videos

Mom Triumphs Over Tragedy, Helps Other Families

AP (Mar. 3, 2015) — After her son, Dax, died from a rare form of leukemia, Julie Locke decided to give back to the doctors at St. Jude Children&apos;s Research Hospital who tried to save his life. She raised $1.6M to help other patients and their families. (March 3)
Video provided by AP

Woman Convicted of Poisoning Son

AP (Mar. 3, 2015) — A woman who blogged for years about her son&apos;s constant health woes was convicted Monday of poisoning him to death by force-feeding heavy concentrations of sodium through his stomach tube. (March 3)
Video provided by AP

Related Stories

Oct. 8, 2013 — Next time your kids complain about putting on sunscreen, tell them this: Sunscreen shields a superhero gene that protects them from getting cancer. Researchers have found sunscreen provides 100 ... full story

June 25, 2013 — While most parents are aware that applying sunscreen to their children is important, many go wrong by not taking the time to choose the most effective sunscreen, or they don’t understand the ... full story

June 11, 2013 — Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in the United States, with one in five Americans expected to develop a form of skin cancer in their lifetime. Fortunately, there are simple ... full story

May 15, 2012 — The American Academy of Dermatology today reiterated the safety and effectiveness of sunscreens to protect against the damaging effects from exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. As one component ... full story

Feb. 5, 2011 — For many young adults, the serious health consequences of tanning have been shown to have little impact on their behavior when it comes to sun exposure. But with spring break around the corner, ... full story

ScienceDaily features breaking news and videos about the latest discoveries in health, technology, the environment, and more -- from major news services and leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.